Sixteen recently discharged Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) soldiers have taken their grievances to the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) for a timely intervention into the circumstances that led to their dishonorable discharge.

The twelve of the sixteen soldiers told this paper recently that on Monday, September 22, 2008, they refused to get into formation because they were not satisfied with an additional two soldiers occupying a small room that already had two soldiers in it.

The discharged soldiers also said that medical benefits for their family, the salary structure of soldiers and ranking structures are all part of the reasons that prompted the formation refusal.

The LCC General Secretary, Dr. Benjamin Lartey welcomed the discharged soldiers and heard their plights, but appealed to them to remain law abiding.

Dr. Lartey assured the discharged soldiers that the Council would meet with the Defense Ministry authorities in order to find an amicable solution that would keep the peace flowing and maintained in the fragile security situation in the country.

The LCC General Secretary said that the soldiers' claim that they never received an investigation on the allegations that the Ministry alleges, therefore if that is true, it would only be expedient to see a record of that or to have a proper one conducted.

Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Press and Public Affairs at the Ministry of Defense, Ambrose Nmah told reporters at a press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism that no mediation by any institution is needed when dealing with insubordinate officers.

Minister Nmah further said that when one is in the army, the order of the day is obey, obey, obey and if any soldier goes against that order then that person is no longer a soldier and must be dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulations of the AFL.